His return is down to the loyal viewers who enjoyed the adaptations of Peter Robinson’s novels and the actor hopes to give them more of the same.

There will, however, be a slight twist with the dogged policeman being joined by two female colleagues with very different personalities.

DS Annie Cabbot, played by Andrea Lowe, returns from maternity leave, while the straight-talking DI Helen Morton, played by Caroline Catz, who was brought in to replace her, remains as part of Banks’s team.

Both are strong-willed and independent with different ideas about police work and Banks has to keep both on-side with the added complication that he and Cabbot have the beginnings of a romantic relationship.

Stephen, 48, said: “It’s great that we get another bite of the cherry, so thanks to everyone who watches DCI Banks.

“What you want to give the audience, by way of a thank-you, is more of what they’re familiar with, along with something new on top.

"It’s established that Banks is a determined, dogged professional and the policeman you want on the job. I think what people get from police dramas is a sense of justice and he certainly strives, almost to the detriment of his own health, to achieve safer convictions.

“He’s worked very closely with Annie and then real life intervened last year when Andrea went off to have a baby for real.

“We brought in Caroline, whose character does everything strictly by the book and is very different to Annie. In the whole of the last series, Banks worked hard to forge a strong relationship with DI Morton and now all three of them work together.

“Each character has something different to bring to the dynamic and we shouldn’t fall out of sympathy with any of them. Banks is in no way a supercop, he doesn’t solve everything. He’s very much the leader and his team is so important to him.”

In the first story, a man and woman claiming to be social workers take away a child. But when it is discovered the authorities have no knowledge of them, Banks is drawn into a hunt for the abducted boy.

Each two-part adaptation is based on a novel, Wednesday’s Child, Piece of My Heart and Bad Boy. Stephen, who is also one of the producers, is delighted the writer, Peter Robinson, is on board.

He said: “It’s very important that we have Peter’s support and blessings and consequently we’re always in touch.

“He gave me some notes when we were doing the pilot and I’ve taken those very much to heart as I want to get close to the spirit of the character he creates in the books. There’s always a buzz when he visits us every year.

“It’s good for us to get as close to his characters as possible, as well as introducing Caroline’s character. Peter absolutely loved her portrayal and he’s even hinted at writing her into a book.

“He’s written three new stories since we’ve been in production. He’s very prolific. Whenever he starts, he never knows how he’s going to finish it. I find it fascinating.”

Banks is the latest in a string of TV hits Stephen has starred in, including Wild at Heart, Ballykissangel and Drop the Dead Donkey, as well as the film Brassed Off. He is aware of how fortunate he has been.

He said: “I’ve been so lucky to have worked on a variety of roles, there are people who loved the picture-postcard romance of Wild at Heart and a similar audience tuned into Ballykissangel.

“Then you have people who are ardent Drop the Dead Donkey fans and a lot of people adore Brassed Off, which I’m most proud of as it was based on a true story.”